Ahead of Paris climate meet, FICCI shares views on mitigation with government

FICCI has shared with the government its perspectives on mitigation and adaptation measures and voluntary emission cuts, days before India submits its INDC ahead of a crucial climate change summit in Paris.PTI | Updated: September 30, 2015, 14:52 IST

NEW DELHI: Industry body FICCI has shared with the government its perspectives on mitigation and adaptation measures and voluntary emission cuts, days before India submits its INDC ahead of a crucial climate change summit in Paris.

FICCI said that a report -- 'Industry Perspectives on INDCs and Corporate Initiatives on Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation in India', which it today submitted to the Environment Ministry, will help the government ascertain areas where it could help industry scale up climate mitigation and adaptation initiatives.

INDCs are voluntary pledges that countries are making to cut carbon pollution ahead of the UN climate meet. India is also likely to submit its INDC very soon.

"FICCI hopes that the report will serve as valuable information for the government, helping it to attract international support for the implementation of domestic climate actions.

"In addition, this report also signals the areas where the government could help industry scale up diverse range of climate mitigation and adaptation initiatives that industry has taken on its own outside its conventional business and which could be replicated across all sectors," the body said.

In preparation for the Conference of Parties (CoP-21) in Paris, scheduled from November 30 to December 11 this year, many nations have submitted what post-2020 climate actions or Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) they would take under a new international agreement.

FICCI said that the report mentions a range of climate mitigation and adaptation initiatives implemented by companies across sectors like power, oil and gas, iron and steel, chemicals, pharma, etc.

"These initiatives were either as a part of the companies' Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), voluntary action to reduce environmental impact of their operations, initiatives embedded in their core business operations and some could be under the ambit of government programmes and schemes," it said.

The report is a culmination of industry consultations on INDCs that was organised by FICCI as well as questionnaire responses on existing climate initiatives and sector-specific focus on INDCs.

“To save the environment and to fight climate change, my government has planned a major campaign. By 2022, we want to generate 175 GW of renewable energy. In the last three years, we have already achieved 60 GW or around one-third of this target,” he said.